Tire bead breaking mechanism



June '18, 1963 D. D. MOORE TIRE BEAD BREAKING MECHANISM Original FiledOct. 3, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

OO/Vfll 0 0. M00?! June 18, 1963 D. D. MOORE TIRE BEAD BREAKINGMECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Oct. 3, 1955 INVENTORATTOR/VFVS United States Patent 3,094,161 TIRE BEAD BREAKING MECHANISMDonald D. Moore, Pompano Beach, Fla., assignor, by mesne assignments, toFMC Corporation, San Jose, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Originalapplication Oct. 3, 1955, Ser. No. 538,211, now Patent No. 2,962,065,dated Nov. 29, 1960. Divided and this application Aug. 12, 1960, Ser.No. 49,281 Claims. (Cl. 157-1.17)

This invention relates to a pneumatic tool for use in removal andreplacement of a tire on a vehicle wheel. This application is a divisionresulting from a Patent Otfice restriction of the parent application ona pneumatic tire tool, filed October 3, 1955, with Serial No. 538,211,now matured into Patent No. 2,962,065.

The invention may be used in connection with either inner tube tires ortnbeless tires and is especially adapted .for use in service stationsand the like where compressed air is usually available.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive devicefor quickly and easily breaking a tire bead away from a wheel rimwithout danger of injury to the tire bead and for holding a wheel in aconvenient position to facilitate rapid removal and replacement of atire tube or tire on the wheel. Another object of the invention is toprovide such a device which can be operated pneumatically by compressedair equipment ordinarily found in automotive maintenance shops, servicestations and the like.

The invention generally contemplates the use of a tire bead breakerpivotally anchored on a support and having a free end with a lugarranged to seat on a wheel rim for properly positioning a pneumaticallyactuated bead breaker element against a tire wall adjacent the wheelrim. The support also has pneumatically actuated clamp means for holdinga wheel in a generally horizontal position while a tire thereon isremoved and replaced. One form of the invention is shown in theaccompanying [drawings which may be briefly described as follows:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device of this invention being usedfor breaking the tire bead away from a wheel rim.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the device in use as a wheel support.

FIG. 3 is a partly sectional view, illustrating structure of the beadbreaking and support mechanism.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view taken in the direction of arrow 5 in FIG.3.

FIG. 6 is a generally elevational view taken in the direction of arrow 6in FIG. 3 with parts shown in phantom to illustrate structure.

FIG. 7 is a top elevational view of the wheel support structure.

The device shown in the drawings has a base plate 10 which may besupported on a supporting surface by screws 11. A hollow post 12 issecured in a generally vertical position on base plate 10 by such meansas a welded skirt 13. A plate 15 is fixed in a generally horizontalextending position on post 12 such as by welding 16 and the plate has adepressed central portion 17 adapted to receive .a central hub portion18 of a vehicle wheel 19 (FIG. 3). The upper end portion 21 of post 12is arranged to project through the hub opening 22 in wheel 19 andcontains pneumatically operable means for clamping the wheel againstplate 15. Plate 15 has a depending bracket 23 forming a support for 1apneumatically operated bead breaker mechanism shown [generally at 24.Base plate 10 preferably has a lug 25 for positioning a wheel and tirethereon relatively to the bead breaker.

Bead breaker 24 has a cylinder 27 with one end 28, which may comprise athreaded cap, pivotally anchored on bracket 23 as at 29, the other end30 of the cylinder preferably having the form of an ensmalled extension,the bead breaker being free to swing in a preferably generally verticalplane. A pneumatically operable piston 32 in the cylinder has a pistonrod 33 projecting slidably through a lower end plate 34 on the cylinderand fixed on a bead breaker element 35, which preferably has generallyarcuate form. A compressed coil spring 36 seats on plate 34 and reactsagainst piston 32. A fitting 37 is provided at supper end 28 of thecylinder for introducing air under pressure above piston 32. Fitting 37is preferably adapted for engagement with a standard compressed air hosefitting of the type ordinarily found in automotive maintenance shops,filling stations and the like.

A sleeve 38 is rotatably' and axially slidably mounted around lower end30 of the cylinder and has a lug 39 fixed thereon. Lug 39 has a lowerend 40 adapted to seat on the peripheral rim portion 41 of a vehiclewheel 19. Piston rod 33 is axially slidably but non-rotatably connectedto sleeve 38. For this purpose, the sleeve preferably has a lower endplate 43 with a rectangular opening 44 therein, the lower end portion 45of the piston rod having rectangular formand slidably extending throughopening 44.

The upper end portion 21 of hollow post 12 is closed by a threaded capor plug 48 having a valve 49 therein for introducing air under pressureinto the post. Valve 49 is preferably of the type ordinarily used onautomobile tires so that pressure can be maintained within the post. Thevalve body is threaded into place as at 50 and has wings 51 tofacilitate manually backing the valve body out of cap 48 sufliciently toexpose ports 52 which communicate with the inner valve passageway 53 forrelieving pressure in the post. Plug 48 has openings 55 for receiving awrench.

A pneumatically operable piston 57 in upper portion 21 of post 12 has aconnecting rod 58 threadedly connected as at 59 to a block 60 having apin 61 thereon which projects radially outwardly of post 12 throughaxially extending slots 62 therein. A compressed spring 64 seats on pin61 and reacts against a member 65 secured across the interior of thepost.

A collet 68 is slidably mounted around the exterior of upper portion 21of the post.- The collet may be removed over the top end of the post.The collet has an internally reentrant axial flange as shown at 69 withaxial slots 70 opening to the reentrant portion and being arranged topass the outwardly projecting ends of pin 61. The collet is detachablysecured to pin 61 by passing slots 70 axially over the pin and rotatingthe collet so that the pin ends project into reentrant portion 69.Collet 68 may be provided with flattened sides 72 to provide a visualindication of the position of slots 70 (FIG. 7).

Horizontal plate 15 has a slot 74 extending outwardly of post 12. Ashouldered drop pin 75 is arranged to project through an opening 76 in awheel body, such as a bolt hole or a positioning hole, and to projectthrough slot 74. Slots 70 in the collet are preferably aligned withflats 72 so that the collet is locked to pin 61 when the flats arealigned with slot 74 as illustrated in FIG. 7.

A tire iron 77 may be conveniently provided with the device. The tireiron is shown as having a shank 78 with a roller 79 at one end, a hook80 at the other end and an intermediate enlarged portion 81. Plate 15has a hole 82 through which shank 78 may be inserted for storagepurposes, enlargement 81 seating on plate 15 to support the tire iron.

In use, it may be assumed that base plate is installed on asupportingsurface through bolts 11 With post 12 in a generally upright position.In a bead breaking operation, awheel 19with a tire 85 thereon ispositioned adjacent post 12 for co ntact'by lug 39' and'breaker element35. Tire 85 may be of inner tube type or the tubeless type. This mayconveniently be done by placing the tire against post'12 andmoving'itoutwardly until an edge 41 of the wheel rimcontacts stop 25 on base 10.The free lower end of the bead breaker is swung about pivot 29 andsleeve '38-is manually adjusted axially and rotationally on cylinderextension 30 so 'that the lower end 40 of lu'g 39 seats'on anedge 41 ofthe'wheel rim (FIG; 1).

Sleeve 38 and lug 39'shift axially relatively to piston rod 33 andbreaker element 35, but the lug and breaker element rotate'together whenthe sleeve is turned because of interengagement of square opening 44 inthe sleeve end plate and the square end portion 45 of the piston rod.Lug 39 has substantial width so that when its lower edges are positionedagainstthe'rim edge it supports arcuate breaker element 35in aposition'generally circumferentially parallel'to the rim edge and to thetirebead. When lug 39 is seated on the rim, the breaker element is'positioned to engage aside wall of the tire immediately adjacentthe-tire bead.

Bead breaker 35 is forced downwardly generally axially of wheel'19 forbreakingthet-ire bead away from rim 41 by introducing air underpressureinto cylinder27 above piston 32throug'h fitting 37*by means of astandardtype compressed air fitting. Breaker element 35 is positively positionedadjacent the tire'b'ead and it moves in a direct linear path against thetire so that it will not pinch or otherwise harm the tire or tire head.The breaker element is preventedby lug 39 from shifting radiallyoutwardly of the tire during its movement to insure breaking the beadaway from the rim.. The stroke of piston 32 is limited to preventthebreaker element from pinching the tire against base plate 10;Preferably the breaker element "moves only to about the axial center ofrim 4'1. Piston 32' and the bead breaking-element arereturned'to theirretracted positions underthe action of'spring '36 by removingthe airfitting from fitting 37 so that the compressed air in thecylinderescapes. 1

In some cases it may be necessary to repeat this bea breaking operationat one or more circumferential locations around'thewheel, in which'casethe wheel and tire are merely rotated on base 10, lug 39 repositioned onthe rim and compressed air introduced intothe cylinder as described.-Wheredesire'd, the wheel and tire may be turned overand the tire bead onthe other axial side of the'tire may be broken away fromthe rimin'thelmanner described; f

To clamp a wheel 19 in a horizontal position on plate 15, collet 68 isremove dover the. top of post 12, pin 75 is removed from slot 74 and*tire'iron7 7 is removed from plate by withdrawing shaft'78 throughhole'82. The central hub opening22 of the wheel' is lowered over theupper end portion 21 of post12 so that the 'body of the wheel rests onplate'15. 'A belt'hole 76 or similar open ing in the wheel body'isaligned with slot 74 in the plate and drop pin'75 is inserted throughthe hole and slot to secure the wheel against rotation on the plate.

Collet' 68 is lowered over upper. end 21 of the post and is turned sothat slots 70 pass over the outwardly project'- ing ends of pin 61; 1The collet is then turned so that the pin ends enter reentrant' portion69 of the collet to lock the collet and pin together. Visible indicia ofthe locked collet'position is provided by alignment of flats 72 on thecollet slot 74 in plate 15. Compressed air is thenintroduced into the.upper por-tion21 of post'12' through valve49 by means of 'a standardcompressed air hosefitting. Piston'57, connecting rod "58, pin 61 andcollet 68 are" forced downwardly so that the collet clamps centralportion 18 of wheel 19 against plate 15. The outwardly projecting'e'ndsof'pin 61 move in axial slot 62 during movement of the collet. Tire maybe removed or replaced by the use of tire iron 77 in the 'usual manneror other work may be performed on the wheel and tire which is soldilysupported on post 12.

To remove wheel 19 from its support, valve 49 is backed out of plug 48by manually turning wings 51 until ports 52 are exposed to relieve theair pressure within the upper portion 21 of post 12. Spring 64 forcescollet 68 upwardly until pin 61 engages the top of slot 62. The colletis rotated approximately to align slots 70' with the ends of pin 61 andis then lifted upwardly over the top of the post. Pin 75 is withdrawnfrom slot 74 and hole 76. The wheel may then be disengaged from thesupport by lifting it upwardly over the top of the post. To clampanother 'wheel on the support, valve' 49 is screwed down to seal ports52 and the wheel, pin 75 and collet 68 are assembled in clamped relationon'the support asdescribed. When not in use, collet 68 may beconveniently returned to'its position around post 12, pin 75 to itsposition in slot74 and tire iron 77 to its position on plate 15 tominimize the danger of their loss.

I claim: I i a 1. A pneumatic tire tool comprising, a support,pneumatically operated extensible means anchored on said support,positioning means rotatably mounted on said extensible means, saidpositioning means having a portion adapted to seat on a wheel -rim whenaligned circumferentially therewith, bead breaker means on saidextensible means, said head breaker means being rotationally fixedrelatively to said positioning means, said bead breaker means beingdisposed generally adjacent said positioning means and being'arranged toengage a tire'wall adjacent the tire head in a generally circumferentialdirection when said positioning means is seated on a wheel rim, saidbead breaker means being movable generally axially of the wheel andrelatively to the positioning means responsivelytooperation of saidextensible means, whereby to break a tire .bead away from a wheel rim; a

'2. A pneumatictire tool comprising, a support, a cylinder pivotallymounted at one end of said support, a pneu- -matically operable pistonin said cylinder, a piston rod on said pis-ton',-said cylinder having afree end, said piston rod projecting outwardly of said free end, asleeve mounted aroundsaid cylinder at said free end, means forming apositioning lug'on-said sleeve'at said free end, means forming a beadbreaker element on said piston rod generally adjacent said positioninglug, said lug and element having portions extending generally parallelto each other, said portion of said lug being adapted to seat on aperipheral portion of a wheel rim, said element being positioned toengage a tire wall immediately adjacent a wheel rim on which said lug isseated, said sleeve being axially and rotatably movable on saidcylinder, means interconnecting said sleeve andelement'so'that saidelement is turnable responsive to rotation of said sleeve whereby tofacilitate seating said lug on a wheel rim and positioning said element,said element being movable axially of the wheel and relatively tosaidlug responsively to pneumatic shifting of said piston in said cylinder,whereby to break a tire bead away from a wheel rim.

3. A pneumatic tire tool comprising a base, a vertical support on saidbase,'a cylinder member, a pneumatically operated piston in'saidcylinder member, a'piston rod member, one of said members beingpivotally anchored on said support a predetermined distance above saidbase, the other of said members having a free end, a means slidably androtatably positioned on one of said members movable to a varietyofpositions relative to said cylinder and piston-members, a positioninglug-at the end of said means adapted to engage a wheel rim'at varyingpositions from thevpivotal point on said support, a bead breaker elementon said other member, said bead breaker element being disposed generallyadjacent said lug on said means for engaging a tire wall adjacent thetire bead when said lug engages a wheel rim, rotation transmitting meansinterconnecting said bead breaker element and said slidable androtatable means so that said element is: rotatably adjustable responsiveto rotation of said means, said bead breaker element being movablegenerally axially of the wheel rim responsively to movement of saidother member whereby to break a tire bead away from a wheel rim.

4. A pneumatic tire tool comprising a base, a vertical support on saidbase, a cylinder member pivotally mounted on said support apredetermined distance above said base having a free end adapted toswing adjacent said vertical support toward and away from it in avertical plane, a pneumatically operated piston in said cylinder member,a piston rod member extending out of said cylinder member at the freeend opposite the pivotally mounted end, means slidably and rotatablymounted on the free end of said cylinder member to move axially of saidcylinder member toward and away from the end thereof, a positioning lugon the end of said means adapted to engage a wheel rim at various levelsrelative to said base, a bead breaker element on said piston rodadjacent said lug radially spaced outward therefrom for engaging a tirewall a predetermined distance outside the tire rim when said lug engagesthe rim, rotary motion transmitting means interconnecting said beadbreaker and said means carrying said lug and serving to locate said beadbreaker relative to said lug, said bead breaker element being movable bysaid piston member generally axially of the wheel rim whereby to break atire bead away from a wheel rim.

5. A pneumatic tire tool comprising, a base, a vertical support on saidbase, a cylinder pivotally mounted on said support above said base andbeing adapted to swing in a vertical plane toward and away from saidbase, a pneumatically operated piston in said cylinder having a pistonrod projecting out of said cylinder, means providing a bead breaker onsaid piston rod, a positioning lug and means axially mov-ably mountingit on said cylinder so that said lug can be engaged against a wheel rimat various levels relative to said base, said bead breaker being spacedradially outwardly from said lug a predetermined distance for engaging atire wall when said lug is engaged with a wheel rim, said piston andtherefore said head breaker having an upwardly retracted position, saidpositioning 111g having a free lower end portion which projectsdownwardly beyond said bead breaker when said bead breaker is in saidretracted position thereof, so that said end portion is engageable anddisengageable with a wheel rim responsive to swinging of said cylinderabout its pivotal rnount free from obstruction by said bead breaker,said piston and therefore said bead breaker being pneumaticallyadvancea-ble downwardly to a position wherein said bead breaker is belowsaid free end portion of said po sitioning lug for breaking a tire beadaway from a wheel rim, said pivotal mount providing a force transmittingconnection through which the reaction to head breaking forces of saidpiston is transmitted to said support.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,869,244 Gabler July 26, 1932 2,538,962 Branick Jan. 23, 1951 2,606,602Manupello Aug. 12, 1952 2,616,487 Parks Nov, 4, 1952 2,667,212 ZafiinaJan. 26, 1954- 2753-923 Bows/er July 10, 1956-

1. A PNEUMATIC TIRE TOOL COMPRISING, A SUPPORT, PNEUMATICALLY OPERATEDEXTENSIBLE MEANS ANCHORED ON SAID SUPPORT, POSITIONING MEANS ROTATABLYMOUNTED ON SAID EXTENSIBLE MEANS, SAID POSITIONING MEANS HAVING APORTION ADAPTED TO SEAT ON A WHEEL RIM WHEN ALIGNED CIRCUMFERENTIALLYTHEREWITH, BEAD BREAKER MEANS ON SAID EXTENSIBLE MEANS, SAID BEADBREAKER MEANS BEING ROTATIONALLY FIXED RELATIVELY TO SAID POSITIONINGMEANS, SAID BEAD BREAKER MEANS BEING DISPOSED GENERALLY ADJACENT SAIDPOSITIONING MEANS AND BEING ARRANGED TO ENGAGE A TIRE WALL ADJACENT THETIRE BEAD IN A GENERALLY CIRCUMFERENTIAL DIRECTION WHEN SAID POSITIONINGMEANS IS SEATED ON A WHEEL RIM, SAID BEAD BREAKER MEANS BEING MOVABLEGENERALLY AXIALLY OF THE WHEEL AND RELATIVELY TO THE POSITIONING MEANSRESPON-